From this totally remodeled home (MLS# 219726), you can see all of Poipu, Port Allen and west to Niihau. Perched above Kalaheo, this 3,000+ sf home has been completely redone.

This Kalaheo short sale has been approved by the lender which means you can avoid the delays typically associated with short sales (close in two weeks if you so wish).

PRICE: $829,000 ($-666,000)
ASSESSED VALUE: $949,800

Agents Notes: It would be hard to replace this view and quality for under $1M anywhere on this island.

Highlights

• All Cherry Kitchen with six burner stove and dual ovens
• Solar heated in ground pool with full size Jacuzzi, outdoor sink and fireplace
• Koa staircase and koa trim on all window sills and baseboards.
• Fully accepted offer signed off by BOTH lien holders.
• Separate 1 bedroom apartment in rear accessible from family room or separate outdoor entrance with kitchenette and meditation room with Tatami mat installed.
• Two auto sensing skylights that self-retract if it is raining.

Photos

View all Kauai Foreclosures →

View all Kauai Foreclosures →

My new listing of 10.8 acres on Kuamoo Rd. offer a superb opportunity for a developer.

Zoned R-2, 2 homes to an acre, this is an opportunity for a smaller subdivision or CPR. Let me know if you need a preliminary map or topo of this property.

• Kuamoo Rd ($699,000)

Kauai Beach Resort short sales are not a new thing, but there are 2 new listings under $80,000.

These luxury hotel units are granite, travertiine and smartly furnished. With the rental management of Aqua Resorts, the Kauai Beach resort units  make a great and affordable vacation home on Kauai that can be rented out when you are off island.

• Kauai Beach Resort #1303 ($60,000)
• Kauai Beach Resort #2542 ($79,000)

At $179,000, the REO 2 bedroom at Paradise Court in Lihue qualifies for the title, “Lowest Priced 2 Bedroom Condo On Kauai“.

• Paradise Court-kauai #C ($179,900)

The 2 new Kauai Short Sale Listings located on Malakia and Olopua streets, on the northern side of Kapaa, are both good-sized homes at 1,700 sf.

This home on Malakia is very attractively priced at $349,000 and the 4 bedroom home has some nicely remodeling improvements making it a home that needs minimal work upon move-in.

• 1649 Malakia St ($349,000)
• 5471 Olopua St ($395,000)

Our Kauai Foreclosure Galleries afford you a visual presentation of our best bank-owned and short sale properties. Here are the rest of the new foreclosures over the past 2 weeks:

• Islander On The Beach #371 ($165,000)
• Princeville Paniolo #107 ($217,000)
• Banyan Harbor #74 ($300,000)
• 04-1078 Kuhio Hwy ($399,000)
• 4002 Hoohana St ($529,000)

Buyer’s have a lot to be thankful for this year.

View all Kauai Foreclosures →

My wife and I were in Los Angeles for a wedding… and despite the fact that we didn’t have television where we were staying, I was able to stream all of the local news stations online and, perhaps even more impressive, watch information and links to resources pour into Twitter.  The conversation around the tsunami emerged as the leading topic of conversation on Twitter.  People sent in photographs, links to buoy readings in the Pacific, videos of the ocean as the series of waves came ashore.  It was an incredible testament of the power of the information age.

Here’s a recent video that illustrates the growing number of internet use and social networking.  The numbers referenced are astounding.

JESS3 / The State of The Internet from Jesse Thomas on Vimeo.

Even as I type this blog post, I’m sitting on a jet airliner 30,000 in the air, using a wi-fi connection. Incredible.

So, we are very thankful for people like Glen Hontz. Glen is going to be launching a 15 week Organic Gardening and Farming training program on March 4, at the Kauai Community College, meeting for 5 hours every Thursday till June.

Graduates will acquire “the basic skills and knowledge needed for a successful start in small scale food production operations at home sites and community gardens.” Then Kauai will have more locally-produced food.

If you’re interested, call 245-8318, or you can call Glenn directly at 246-4859. Tuition is $180; tuition assistance is available.

Valuable info provided by NOAA's Pacific Tsunami Warning Center

The threat of a tsunami wreaking havoc on the people and infrastructure of Hawaiian island shores has passed! We dodged a bullet!!

Authorities confirmed that a tsunami generated by the 8.8 earthquake off Chile did indeed hit the Hawaiian island chain, reaching the Big Island first with diminished effects as it headed N/NW.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s “Pacific Tsunami Warning Center” is fully prepared for this type of event, (even though the last state-wide tsunami warning was over 25 years ago). Warnings were issued approximately 14 hours in advance of the tsunami’s arrival on 2/27/2010. Plans were administered immediately by agencies designed to protect and provide safety. Residents and visitors were kept out of harm’s way!

Just one more great reason that Hawaii is your SOLID choice for living in paradise. You may be one of the many savvy real estate buyers who place great value on government safety and protection under US authority. In Hawaii, we say, “Lucky we live Hawaii”. We can also be proud to say, “Lucky we live good ole’ US of A”!!

Well, time to get back to “paradise as usual”…I sure would love to help you find your own special place in paradise!!

Situated on a ridge overlooking Kalihiwai Bay, the valley, and the river on one side, and the surf and reef at Anini on the other… these two homes make a powerful statement: If you’re going to have a luxury ocean view home on a bluff top on Kauai, be sure your architect and builder know what they’re doing.  Location, Vistas, Privacy… these are all things we know to think of…

Kalihiwai Bay Ridgeline

Kalihiwai Bay from the Living Room

But structure, maintenance, long-term care, durability… these are “intangibles”, that only come with experience.  On Kauai, a house has to be built to handle sun, wind, rain, and… if you’re close to the ocean, salt.  Concrete, stone, hardwoods, copper… and an intense focus on how to design these elements all combine to provide the substantial quality of these homes.

Compared to the rest of Kauai’s luxury market, these two homes may be the finest residential offerings on the island. The owners don’t intend to sell them both… just one. Why? Because they scoured the island looking for the perfect spot. They don’t want to be on the beach (although they have a trail to Kalihiwai Bay), and each of the north shore’s more popular subdivisions have different drawbacks (too much wind, not enough privacy, etc.). So, here they are.

Visit Website →

Stone and Concrete

Teak, Quartzite, and Stone

Copper and Wood

Architect Daniel Moran is credited with a masterful job.

Building Contractor Rob Brower built both homes.

While we see Hawaii becoming more energy conscious, this term has not been familiar….until now.  A Home Energy Audit, in a nutshell, is an evaluation of the energy consumption of your home and of your energy usage patterns.

We in Hawaii have different comfort issues to deal with…hot rooms that don’t cool down quick enough,  air conditioned spaces that are either too cold or not cold enough.  We need to understand these issues as it relates to a “Hawaiian Style” home.

A Home Energy Audit considers comfort issues, identifies weaknesses in the building envelope (the separation of the interior and exterior environments of  a building), mechanical system efficiencies and occupant usage.  I don’t mean to get “all technical” with this building envelope stuff but as a newly certified Home Energy Surveyor, it makes me sound kinda important!  I also think the term “green” is a little cliche and overused.  Anyway, I perfer to use the term energy efficient.

Throughout the course of my blogs, I hope to give you tips on how to help you save money on your energy bill, increase your quality of life and not break the bank.  I will also show you how this can all be wrapped into the purchase or sale of a home.  Who doesn’t like free info?  My motto is, “If it’s free, it’s for me!”  So keep in touch.

theenergymi$ser

Fortunately, this home at 55303 Kuhio Hwy listed for $2,795,000 lets you bring the outdoors in.

Price Reduction = -$1,255,000

As you walk in the front door, the aesthetic beauty of wood and stonework greets you. Every room is filled with natural light. The many windows are picture frames to the lovely mountain views, thriving foliage, and soothing pond, and an inviting pool is an oasis amongst the lush landscape of the backyard.

Recently remodeled, each room exudes a feeling of comfort and harmonious living; the relationship between outside and inside are seamless.

Owning acreage like this in Hanalei is a rarity and the spaciousness of the 1.5 acres allows for room to ramble on your own or entertain graciously.

As you drive onto the property, surrounded by taro fields, it’s like discovering “old Hawaii”; a place preserved by nature and brimming with the sense of aloha. And although you may feel miles away from the world, you’re only a short walk to Hanalei town and the world famous Hanalei Bay where recent beachfront sales have ranged from $2,000,000 to $10,000,000.

Transient vacation rental approved properties in Hanalei are scarce and this home has been approved (TRV# TVNC-1154). If you would like to know more about the rental history, please contact me.

This is more than a house, it’s a haven.

Breaded Lamb with Vegetables from Kauai Grill

As someone that loves food, good food, I’m always looking for somewhere different to eat when going out.  Now please don’t get me wrong here, I do still enjoy many of the already established restaurants, but the choices have been somewhat limited on Kauai’s North Shore. I recently had the pleasure of trying two of several new North Shore establishments and am thrilled to share them with you.

Ahi entree from Kauai Grill

With the much-anticipated opening of the St. Regis Princeville Resort, I was excited to learn that they expanded from the usual hotel fare with the opening of Jean-Georges’ Kauai Grill.  I read a bit about Jean-Georges and flipped through one of his cookbooks prior to going. His recipes are too complex for me to attempt at home, but I definitely wanted to try them…prepared for me. After walking through the entry I felt as if I had been transported to a very hip New York eatery…until I spotted Bali Hai from the window. The décor is a wow, especially if you have dined there in the past when it was La Cascata. When you go there, be sure to check out the amazing glass chandelier in the middle of the restaurant that changes color every few seconds. We found our waitress helpful, but not overbearing.  The food, all a la carte, was outstanding both in presentation and to the taste.  And the prices were much more reasonable than I expected, especially for the quality and location.  I’ll definitely be going back there!

Now if you’re looking for something a bit more casual, a great new place to check out in Hanalei is the Iti Wine Bar, located next to the well-known Tahiti Nui Restaurant & Bar. I just happened upon this one after I saw a friend become a fan of it on Facebook.  This is the place to go and be seen.  They offer a huge wine selection, with wine by the choice of a 2 oz. taste, a glass, or a bottle.  If you don’t care for wine there’s beer and a full bar too. And they also offer a full a la carte menu ranging from focaccia (very, very good) to lamb!

A few others that I haven’t tried yet (but will soon) are Federico’s Fresh Mex Cuisine in the Princeville Shopping Center and Thai 2 Go located in Kilauea just off the highway on Ho‘okui Road next to Kauai Pacific School.

I found it a bit surprising that so many new restaurants are opening now, and in such a small geographic location.  But with the growing resident population, and consistent visitors, we all have to eat!

Now only $495,000! This 3 bedroom 2 bath home (MLS #231185) in the Kilauea Estates neighborhood is a rare find. Ideally located at the end on a cul-de-sac, this single story residence features a vaulted ceiling in the living/dining room, built-in closet organizers with drawers in Master and 2nd bedroom, a solar water heater, enclosed 2-car garage, partially fenced yard, and mountain and Bali Hai views.

The Kilauea Lighthouse, restaurants, shopping, medical facility, schools, post office, and
Farmers market, and more are just a short walk away.

Listing agent is part owner. Both owners are Hawaii Life agents.